Procedure

Surgical closure of a perimembranous ventricular septum defect with a running suture

Division of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery, University and Children Hospital Zürich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland

^* Corresponding author: KinderSpital, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland rene.pretre{at}kispi.uzh.ch

A ventricular septum defect (VSD) is a common defect in congenital surgery, either isolated or associated with other malformations. Most of the defects are located around the membranous septum and hence are called ‘perimembranous’. The less damaging approach to close them is certainly through an incision in the right atrium. In some trunco-arterial malformation, an incision in the infundibulum is necessary to connect the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries. A perimembranous VSD can then also be closed using the same incision. The videos show the closure of a perimembranous VSD using these two common approaches. Although many surgeons opt for interrupted stitches reinforced with pledgets to close these defects, a running suture can also be used and, in our opinion, is a reliable and rapid alternative technique.

Key Words: Fallot tetralogy • Pulmonary atresia • Rastelli procedure • Truncus arteriosus • Ventricular septum defect